How to Install Lightroom Presets on Your iPhone

Presets are one of the easiest ways to make your iPhone photos look better.

One tap — and your photos have a consistent look, without spending ages editing.

If you’ve never used them before, the setup can feel a bit confusing.

But it’s actually really straightforward.

You don’t need a laptop.

You don’t need special software.

You can install Lightroom presets directly on your iPhone in a few minutes.

Here’s how.

What you’ll need

To get started, you just need:

• an iPhone
• the Lightroom Mobile app (free to download; RAW editing, cloud sync and other premium features may require a paid Adobe plan)
• a preset pack (usually a .zip file with .DNG files inside)

If you’re using presets from iPhone Creator Kit, everything is already formatted for mobile — just follow the steps below.

Step 1: Download your presets

After you buy or download your preset pack:

1. Tap the download link.
2. Tap the Download icon in Safari.
3. Open the Files app.
4. Find the .zip file (usually in Downloads).
5. Tap it once to unzip.

You’ll now see a folder full of DNG files.

Each DNG = one preset.

If you want to stay organised, rename the folder to something like “Lightroom Presets”.

Step 2: Open Lightroom Mobile

1. Open Lightroom.
2. Tap Library.
3. Tap + Add Album.
4. Name it Presets.
5. Tap Create.

This just keeps things tidy.

Step 3: Import the DNG files

1. Open your Presets album.
2. Tap Add Photos.
3. Choose From Files.
4. Find your preset folder.
5. Select all the DNG files → Open.

They’ll show up as photos — sometimes they look blank.

That’s normal.

The preset is inside the file.

Step 4: Turn them into presets

Now you save each one as an actual preset inside Lightroom.

1. Tap a DNG file.
2. Tap the three dots (•••).
3. Choose Create Preset.
4. Give it a simple name like:
   • Clean
   • Warm
   • Travel
5. Save it to User Presets (or make your own group).

Repeat for the rest.

From now on, they’ll live in your Presets panel.

Step 5: Start using them

1. Import a photo into Lightroom.
2. Tap Presets.
3. Choose your preset group.
4. Tap a preset.

Done.

If you want, adjust exposure or white balance — but the heavy lifting is already done.

If something doesn’t work

If the files won’t import:

• Make sure you unzipped the file first
• Try Add Photos → Browse More → Files
• Restart Lightroom if you get “file type not supported”

Blank DNG thumbnails are totally fine — just open them and continue.

Quick FAQ

Do I need a computer?

No — everything happens on your iPhone.

What are DNG files?

They’re images that carry the preset settings inside.

Do presets work with ProRAW?

Yes — and they look even better with ProRAW, because there’s more data to work with.

Start using your presets

Once presets are installed, editing becomes simple:

open → tap → done.

Less time dragging sliders.

More time actually shooting.

If you want presets made specifically for iPhone — along with lessons on shooting, editing, and workflow — they’re inside the iPhone Creator Kit.

Built for people who want great-looking photos straight from the iPhone, without needing to learn complicated editing.

See current iPhone preset collections, compatibility and kit prices

Adobe’s Lightroom mobile premium features